Fitness Focus: Strength Training

Maybe you’ve got a nice routine going—walking, running or biking—to help improve your aerobic fitness. Good for you. But could you—and should you—be doing more?

If you haven’t added strength training to your workout schedule, you’re definitely missing out. A recent meta-analysis found that people who do muscle-strengthening workouts are less likely to die prematurely than those who don’t, adding to previous evidence that strength training has long-term health benefits.

The study found that just 30 to 60 minutes a week of strength training is probably enough. Those who worked out for this duration had a 10% to 20% lower risk of dying during the study period from all causes, and from cancer and heart disease compared to those who did no strength training.

Currently, U.S. exercise guidelines recommend that adults do strength training for all major muscle groups twice a week. Specifically, we’re talking muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups: legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.

Strength training provides a wide range of benefits, according to experts at Penn State College of Medicine. In addition to enhancing overall quality of life, strength training can:

help build stronger bones
increase joint flexibility
reduce symptoms of stiffness and arthritis
manage weight and blood sugar.

Let’s Do It!

Strength training—sometimes called resistance training—is a type of exercise that causes your muscles to contract against an outside resistance. That resistance can be from:

your own body weight (see the exercises below to start a routine)
weight machines
resistance bands
dumbbells or a kettlebell

Healthline recommends a quick warm up before combining just a four or five equipment-free exercises to create a routine that you can follow two to three times per week. Here’s a few to try:

1 Plank

Hold this demanding pose for 10-30 seconds.

2 Mountain climber

Start in the plank position.
Engage your core and keep your spine and neck neutral, drive your right knee up toward your chest.
Extend it and immediately drive your left knee up toward your chest.
Repeat for 30 seconds, going as fast as you can while maintaining good form.
Complete 3 total sets.

3 Squat jumps

Lower into a squat position with your arms bent and hands together out in front of you.
Explode into a jump, pushing through and landing back on the balls of your feet.
When your reach the ground again, squat down and repeat for 10-12 reps. Complete 3 sets.

Note: These are high impact, so if you’re joints are sensitive, maybe choose another option.

4 Side hops

Start standing with your feet together and your arms bent at a 90-degree angle at your sides. Your knees should be soft.
Keeping your feet together, jump to the right, taking off and landing on the balls of your feet.
As soon as you reach the ground, jump back to the left.
Repeat 20 reps for 3 sets.

5 Flutter kicks

Lie on your back on a mat with your legs extended into the air so your body forms a 90-degree angle.
Slowly lower your right leg down toward the ground as far as it will go while maintaining contact between your lower back and the ground.
Return your right leg to start, and lower your left leg down the same way.
Complete 20 total reps for 3 sets.

6 Pushups

You can modify this old-school exercise by staying on your knees.
Repeat as many reps as possible for 3 sets.

7 Split squats

Take a large step forward with your left foot to form a staggered stance.
Distribute your weight evenly between both feet.
Bend your knees and lower your body down until your left knee forms a 90-degree angle.
Push up and repeat for 12 reps.
Switch legs and repeat.

Stay Strong

Starting in middle age and continuing as we age, a health condition called sarcopenia is a real risk. This condition is defined as a decline in muscle mass, strength, and function. Sarcopenia has been connected to weakness, fatigue, lower energy level and difficulty standing, walking, and climbing stairs. Sarcopenia may contribute to risk of falls, fractures, other serious injuries, and premature mortality. Poor nutrition and lack of exercise can increase the odds of developing sarcopenia.

If you already notice a general feeling of weakness or fatigue and haven’t been exercising or eating right, check in with your health provider.